Heart of the City

Heart of the City

The beloved Austin music non-profit, SIMS, throws their Heart of the City benefit concert each year. We were called on to help design collateral for this year’s theme: A Celebration of the Cosmic Cowboy. As one of their major fundraisers, this event brings some of Austin’s best musicians to a single stage for a full night of music and good vibes. Inspired by traditional country western showman suits, we ran with the theme and created a chainstitched and rhinestone-laden denim poster, which served as the basis for all other assets made.

Sure we could have made a cool screenprinted poster for this event. But to really respect the ‘Cosmic Cowboy’ vibes, we went all out and hired Ft. Lonesome, the best chain-stitchers in the land, to create a one-of-a-kind piece.

There’s no matching the sound, soul and tactile quality of chunky thread being thrust into denim…

It all resulted in a heavy 18x24 denim poster that went up for auction at the event. All funds went towards the SIMS mission of supporting mental health amongst Austin’s musicians.

Project Tasks: Print Design

© HOMESTEAD

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Lupulo New York

Lupulo New York

Lupulo is the second restaurant created by Michelin-star rated chef, George Mendes. Inspired by the famous cervejarias (breweries) of Lisbon, and designed to be an inviting New York neighborhood restaurant and bar, Lupulo offers a very relaxed and approachable atmosphere complemented by Mendes’ own inventive interpretations of traditional Portuguese food.

Working with Preacher, we were entrusted to develop the entire brand identity for Lupulo (which means “hops” in Portuguese), and started with a custom logotype and fiery, hop-feathered rooster mark. We then crafted everything from exterior signage to menus, business cards, beer growlers, coasters, t-shirts and more. Utilizing bold colors and subtle references of Portuguese design, we're happy to bring a bit of Lisbon to NYC.

A series of coasters was designed to help give guests some background on Portuguese culture, along with translations of their beautiful language.

Speaking of fiery birds, we created this little hot chicken as an homage to the open flame.

Project Tasks: Brand Identity, Print Design, Packaging

Made at Preacher with Taryn Kealani

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Cava Grill

Cava Grill

Truly sweeping the nation, Cava Grill has rapidly expanded from their home base of Washington, D.C. to over 30 locations (and counting) across the states. Started by three childhood friends, this “fast casual” restaurant celebrates the flavors of their families’ traditional Greek and Mediterranean cooking in a modern setting. Not only is the food is amazingly tasty and fresh, the company's commitment to supporting urban gardening, sourcing local ingredients and fostering healthy eating programs is the "tzatziki on the pita".

While working at Preacher, we partnered with Cava Grill to help tell their brand story as they began to extend their footprint into new markets. Developing visuals around a unique brand positioning with bold values and a clear voice, we landed on the consumer-rallying idea: “For Those Who Savor”. This was brought to life throughout their locations via posters, packaging, photography and collateral. This is a brand that truly savors life, and we aimed to convey this sentiment to all who walk through their doors.

To kick off the project, we re-designed Cava Grill's ridiculicious packaged spreads, and set the tone for the new brand aesthetic. 

Lively colors and honest foods led to a series of in-store posters made to promote the brand's mission. Using close-up photography of  ingredients and hands-on production techniques, the ethos of Cava Grill comes alive in vibrant artwork. 

For an added touch of storytelling, we worked with photographer Josh Goleman, whose signature raw, black-and-white approach was chosen to reflect the brand's originality and approach to business.

These elements all came together in our brand book. Designed to solidify Cava Grill's position in the minds of new employees and potential investors, it's a testament to a company that is simply doing things their own way.

We also had the opportunity to touch upon many of the brand's customer-facing assets. In-store displays, packaging, cups, napkins and swag were all updated to carry the spirit of Cava Grill forward.

Project Tasks: Art Direction, Environment, Packaging, Print Design

Made at Preacher

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Casper Snooze Bar

Casper Snooze Bar

The innovative online sleep company, Casper, needed help introducing new markets to their brand. Even with their amazing 100 night trial period, a mattress is just one of those things that people like to try in person before they buy. In a collaboration with Preacher and NA Collective, we helped develop a mobile pop-up experience that avoided the traditional 'mattress showroom' antics the brand has challenged since say one. And we named it after morning's best friend: The Snooze Bar. 

In this AM coffee bar / PM cocktail lounge, guests could book private naps on Casper mattresses in our custom-built canvas tents, or just drop by for live music, gourmet waffles and signature drinks. Design touches around the space gently lulled visitors into our world of slumber. This immersive pop-up experience traveled from D.C. to Austin and San Francisco, presenting Casper as a modern, thoughtful and desirable option for those who seek the best night's sleep. Because five more minutes in a Casper bed is a beautiful thing indeed...

Guests began their experience by checking in with our concierge, where they traded in their shoes for custom slippers and fresh pillowcases before being led to their private canvas napping tent.

A "Sleep Menu" containing curated playlists of dreamy songs and podcasts on the science of sleep - as well as a choice of dreamscapes projected onto the ceiling of the tent - ensured that our guests got to choose their perfect napping style.

To entertain guests before and after their nap, our cocktail bar served up signature drinks, coffee and gourmet waffles all day long. They also received copies of our Shuteye Journal, chock full of whimsical sleep-related short stories, poems and photography.  

The quiet, peaceful naptime setting transformed in the evening when the lights turned down, local jazz bands took the stage, and private canvas tents became (very comfortable) cocktail lounges.

Local artists in each city held court at the end of the bar and served as 'dream analysts' - sketching guest's dreams onto cocktail napkins as a memorable take-away. Nothing like a few drinks for people to open up about their deepest dreams and desires.

In the end, over 3,000 guests enjoyed a personalized nap experience at the Snooze Bar, while Casper saw a  21% increase of trial-to-sale conversions above their other previous events.

" I walked in because I smelled the waffles from the street. I stayed for the amazing experience."

- a happy guest

Project Tasks: Art Direction, Environment, Styling, Print Design, Event

Made at Preacher

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Teva Footwear

Teva Footwear

Nearly 30 years ago, a Grand Canyon river guide forever changed the way people experienced the outdoors. Rigging two Velcro watchbands to an old pair of flip flops, he created a shoe that wouldn’t float away, and thus, the world’s first sport sandal. In doing so, he built a loyal tribe of river enthusiasts and athletes that has lasted for decades...

While working at Frank Creative, the focus of our GO. DO. BE. print campaign was to fully embrace the fluid moments of life and sport that one experiences during a river trip. We had Teva gather their team and set them loose down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Through the use of photography, large-scale water polaroid transfers, and custom typography by notable poster artists, we were able create a liquid dream-scape that allows the amazing energy of the trip to flow right off the page.

The polaroid transfer process is pure magic, and separates the image into a jelly-like substance that can be freely manipulated underwater before placing it back onto a dry piece of paper.

Project Tasks: Art Direction, Print Design, Advertising

Made at Frank Creative Workgroup

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Seventh Flag Coffee Co.

Seventh Flag Coffee Co.

Welcome to a new union of coffee lovers, colloquially known as “Our Country of Friends”. This Seventh Flag now flies proud over the Austin landscape - in deference to the six other flags that have claimed the state of Texas throughout history.

At its core, Seventh Flag is a local neighborhood shop. While at Preacher, we were tasked with making sure this was reflected through thoughtful decoration throughout the space. From hanging custom-made local artwork, to sourcing soulful thrift store pieces and even screen printing our own posters - we gave the space its own identity and friendly voice within the community. Photography of the humble details helped to promote Seventh Flag as a low-key place to linger with your new friends.

Modern interiors and minimal distractions were balanced by soulful touches throughout the space.

A series of screenprinted posters were made with a phrase that serves as an open invitation to all who find themselves in need of a cup of coffee and a friendly place of acceptance. 

Project Tasks: Print Design, Environment, Photography

Made at Preacher with Kapono Chung

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Supply Showroom

Supply Showroom

Supply Showroom in Austin, TX is a go-to for interior designers seeking high-end fabrics, wallpaper and unique design elements to satisfy discerning clients. The ladies at Supply are always ahead of the curve and currently expanding their reach, in need of a thoughtfully designed mobile showroom to replace their existing arsenal of bulky rolling racks and paper shopping bags. Homestead was tasked with developing a portable display system that could be quickly set up and broken down, allowing the same elevated Supply Showroom experience customers receive in the Austin shop to extend to clients in private homes and offices.

We created a clean, sleek and modular organization system using unique fabricated binders, handmade Supply Pink display trays, and lucite sample covers hung from a custom-built collapsable brass rack. These elements were mixed with bright white storage bins and a bespoke grey and gold hand cart to store and transport everything with ease.

In an effort to do more with less and simplify their presentation, we designed and built a collapsible swatch rack that fits the inside dimension of the custom box lids. Tension rods keep the structure strong and rigid. 

Shipping boxes as well as a stationary package and digital lookbook were all updated to work seamlessly alongside the new mobile showroom.  

© HOMESTEAD

Project Tasks: Fabrication, Print Design, Digital

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